detailed
Americanadjective
-
having many details.
a detailed problem.
- Synonyms:
- complicated, complex, involved
-
thorough in the treatment of details; minute.
a detailed report.
- Synonyms:
- comprehensive, thorough, exhaustive
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of detailed
Explanation
Use the adjective detailed when you're talking about something that's full of specific points or facts. A detailed weather report includes temperature, cloud cover, and the possibility of rain. Something that's detailed is focused on the fine points or small aspects — a detailed portrait of your grandmother includes every wisp of hair and subtle shade of skin. Detailed explanations take some time, because the person doing the explaining isn't leaving any detail out. The literal Old French meaning of the noun detail is "a cutting in pieces," and it's used to mean "small piece or quantity."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mitchell referenced a county report that detailed financial difficulties in some municipalities that utilized binding arbitration.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
As of 2022, the minimum for the top 0.1% was $45.8 million, according to the most detailed data available from the Fed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
The plan to fund this by making increases in the state pension from 2030 less generous than they are now was more detailed than some expected at this stage.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
A remarkably preserved fossil from China is giving scientists an unusually detailed look inside a marine reptile that lived about 245 million years ago.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 29, 2026
“When’d they put this here?” he remarked, admiring the three-story structure with gracefully arched windows and a strongly detailed roofline.
From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
